Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I think it would be more likely to be the existing subscription + £10pm to make that work.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Yes and by all accounts, it's the main Prime sub that Amazon want people to pay for, so I agree, unlikely they would just sell a footy sub on its own.

I really don't understand why Amazon even bothered having this low tier package of matches anyway, so I guess we'll have to wait for the next rights auction and see if they intend to become a serious player or not.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

It was cheap and can be used to sell Prime at Christmas.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Exactly nobody else wanted them so they more than likely got a sweet deal.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

It also allows the Premier League to hold the streaming bogey man over Sky/BT in the next round. It has been hugely embarrassing for the league that Sky correctly guessed no such bidders existed and won better rights for less money.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Yes, Sky knows very well the current state of play regarding the UK's rollout of broadband. What is not of great interest now may be something worth fighting over in the future.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Is broadband really a deal breaker? How many million homes have insufficient bandwidth to view Netflix or Amazon?

I’m not convinced the business model is going to be made or broken from that number.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

They certainly do, so much so they refuse to sell FTTP to their customers in areas where it's available.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Sky have announced plans to sell G.fast and FTTP not sure of the ETA.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

And yet you say that Amazon could not make it pay even with the number of Sky Sports subscribers.

Clearly it does matter, as does having sufficient bandwidth and reliable broadband. If Amazon did win the Sky or BT share of the Premiership rights, they would not want to be inundated with complaints about blocking, stuttering and the like, with all the bad publicity that would generate.

This is why I linked my suggestion that Amazon or one of the other global streamers might make a serious bid next time around, provided that the broadband infrastructure we have been promised is largely in place by then.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

The sums don’t add up either way, but what percentage of households lack sufficient broadband to run Netflix or Amazon Prime? 5%?

The numbers are precarious if those interested in the product who fall within that subset make or break viability.

There’s also other options - like leasing satellite space or doing a deal with Virgin in the interim.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Perhaps we might get a answer from the States first before anything happens here with regards to whether the tech giants are serious about sports. If they bid for major sports rights over there, they'll do the same here next.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

They have a long wait before they can even bid, NFL rights don't come up until 2022, NBA 2024-25 and NLB 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadg.../#217917ff3bba
Verizon does have rights at the moment to stream on mobile devices.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

This is the current position.

https://www.reviews.com/tv-streaming-service/sports/

I particularly liked:

Month-to-month contracts

One of the biggest appeals of live TV streaming is that you’re not locked into a long contract. Some cable companies will charge as much as $200 if you want to get out of your contract early. By contrast, all of the streaming services we tested operate on a month-to-month basis. You can stop at any time, with no early termination penalty.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

They are services that carry linear channels over broadband , I'm not sure of the similarity.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Presumably you don't get a refund if you cancel 7 days into your month?

So it's the same, you are tied into a contract - just for a shorter period.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Now TV are doing a 9 month sports pass for £195 so a little under £22 a month. It’d be good to see (although we probably won’t) what the interest levels are for it. A well timed activation would cover 97% of the football season.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

There's a lot of difference between a month and a year, old bean.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Are premium channels on Virgin/Sky not 1 month commitments?

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Of course they are..

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

No-one said they were not. But that's just the premium channels.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I’m just pointing out that the flexibility exists already, above having a minimum package.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Disney is moving its UFC PPV fights onto its ESPN+ streaming service. Although this is not a wholesale move of UFC away from linear channels, it may give an indication of where the future lies:

https://variety.com/2019/digital/new...ew-1203165507/

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

What seems totally lost on you is the fact these companies never lose money so if we buy into your future scenario all that would happen is the streamers would ramp prices up to make the shortfall up.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

While we have competition between the streamers, and both Apple and Disney are set to launch theirs this year, I would not expect prices to rocket at all. Global streamers are able to keep their prices low due to the sheer volume of subscribers compared with the domestic channels we have now.

There is nothing to suggest that these prices will rocket at all.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

That's another thing that seems totally lost on you , Disney already distributes it's content globally across different worldwide pay TV platforms it's going down the path of direct to consumer to increase its revenue not reduce so I'm not sure how you work that out.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Why are you concerned that any organisation wants to maximise its profits? These are global players and thus get economy of scale, so everybody wins. More profit for the companies, better value for consumers.

Also, don't forget that ultimately the streamers will replace the TV channels, so that's one cost less for pay tv subscribers.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha - oh, wait, you're serious.... :dozey:

You may have noticed that Netflix put their prices up regularly - surely if they were enjoying the economies of scale, the prices would stay the same.

Or could it be they have very accurate pricing models, and charge what they calculate the market will bear.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I'm explaining they want to make more which goes against your view that things will be cheaper.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

And I have just described how that won't be the case.

---------- Post added at 13:13 ---------- Previous post was at 13:08 ----------

The streaming companies will be constrained by the competition.

The economies of scale relate to global distribution versus domestic only distribution.

Netflix is currently testing the waters, and it makes sense for them to do so, particularly given the huge amount of investment going into their shows. However, with competing services such as Amazon, Disney+, Apple and Starzplay, price increases in the future will be constrained.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

He really doesn't seem to get it does he.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I think it's the other way around :D

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Try and read back what you have put it's full of incorrect statements.

You tell us Disney only distribute domestically when clearly they don't , if that's the case how is it I can currently watch their content here in the UK.

Your suggestions are all over the place and don't stand up in the real world sadly as I'd love cheaper.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

When I talked of domestic distribution, I was talking about pay TV channels. Yes, Disney and others also make their programmes available in other domestic markets through a patchwork of contractual arrangements and through their own channels. But it must be more economic to have all those programmes on one platform, distributed globally. That way you reduce the costs of all the middlemen and all the manpower involved in getting those programmes added to a raft of different channels.

Additionally, people who don't want to get tied into contracts with the likes of Sky and VM don't have to in order to watch these programmes. They can instead subscribe to a service which is better able to meet their viewing needs and at a much cheaper price. So their audience grows, bringing in more income.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

The point being Disney and others want you and in fact rely on people continuing to subscribe.

Let's see how long some of these services last when people are dipping in and out a month at a time. Great for the consumer but not a great business model let's be honest not when they are wanting to see revenue growth year on year.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I don't think the vast majority of Netflix and Amazon subscribers are continually dipping in and out of these services (certainly no-one I know does that) and so why would they with Disney+?

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I'm meaning as more and more launch just look so far at launched or confirmed services.

Netflix
Amazon Prime
Apple
Warner Media
Disney +
Comcast
Britbox
Hulu
Now TV
Eleven Sports

That's just off the top of my head and doesn't take into consideration the many traditional pay TV services. All these services are also competing against other digital subs such as music streaming , gaming services and books such as Kindle.

People only have so much money to go around.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

There is also a streamer showing NRL at over £20pm - cannot remember the name

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Yes, agreed, but as I said before, you would not subscribe to them all. I subscribe to Netflix, Amazon and Now TV for example, but not to Starzplay (and I wouldn't either to Hayu if it wasn't in the Full House bundle anyway). It's no good subscribing to all those different services if you don't have the time to watch the content!

In the end, people are going to subscribe to those services that best meet their needs.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

And the vast majority who subscribe to one or more of these services very much see these services as a little extra supplementary add on to their main Pay TV subscription.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Yes, at present, many do. But as we both know, Den, that will change in time! ;)

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

What about those that don't have a main Pay TV subscription? They do exist you know.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

l do know that pip as l was just stating a very clear point to OB that many Pay TV customers tend to use the streaming services as a supplementary add on to the main Pay TV subscription.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

In fairness, not all of those are launching in the UK - certainly Comcast and Hulu have announced no UK plans and Eleven Sports aka La Liga is pretty niche.

---------- Post added at 21:12 ---------- Previous post was at 21:11 ----------

Denphone seems to have touched a nerve. ;)

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Hulu have announced they’ll launch at some point internationally and Comcast have announced they’ll use Sky in Europe for offering its ad supported streaming service.

https://www.tubefilter.com/2018/11/1...international/
https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/14/1...r-bros-netflix

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I cut the cord long ago and am a happy Kodi user.;););)

I can watch what I want, when I want and frequently before it even gets close to being available on UK TV.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Yes, but you saw the growing list of streaming services in muppetman's post. Slowly but surely, people will start to make decisions on what is best value for money. The existing pay tv services are bound to suffer big time.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

“Surely” is speculative at best. A list that doesn’t offer the diverse range and choice exist of providers do.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Only because it's still in the development stage. That will change. For example, expect to see a Discovery streaming service before long.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Oh dear yet another top up cost on top of all the other streaming subscriptions you seemingly have lined up for yourself as your monthly costs keeps rising and rising and rising so much so it won't be long before its much dearer to subscribe to all those different streaming subscriptions then it is a Pay TV subscription each month.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Once you deduct the cost of the existing pay tv channels, you make a nice saving, with more choice into the bargain. And in case you weren't listening, I did say that people were likely to pick and choose the services they wanted, not necessarily subscribe to them all.

That's quite different from what we have now, where you have to subscribe to a huge pile of channels you don't want just to get the few you do want.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Someone who takes a Now TV Entertainment pass and a Now TV Cinema pass pays £17.98 a month and gets a great selection of content from most of those options the exception being Netflix and Amazon , they also get all the main movies across the bulk of the studios.

How are you going to make your world cheaper than that and offer more ?

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2018/11/hulu-uk/

Looks like the UK might be getting Hulu after all.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I'm not comparing against Now TV, which is itself a streaming service. I'm comparing the streaming services with Sky and cable channel services.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

It still contains a linear element to it , just a smaller selection of channels.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I don’t see how you can manage to not compare proposed streaming services with Now TV? It’s in the market, now. Has been for some time. Backed by Sky, and in turn Comcast who are huge.

Are proposed services cheaper than Now TV? Do they have the breadth of content? All reasonable questions.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Now TV is a streaming service.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I ditched my TV package to go Broadband only (and moved to the pay monthly sub) and saved enough to cover the costs of Now TV entertainment and movies, Netflix and Amazon Prime.

You can easily obtain deals on NowTV to make it cheaper (just cancel a pass and they offer you four months at a reduced price and will email you over the next few months with cheap offers) and many will have Amazon Prime anyway.

With the above bundle of streaming services the choice is just miles better than any like-priced satellite or cable package and infinitely better than what I was previously paying for on Virgin.


One caveat is that in the US at least, many content producers are looking to start their own streaming services and that will lead to hideous fragmentation and likely a repeat of what we have seen with TV services. For now though, you can save money and pick up a few streaming subs and get access to almost everything you would want to see.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

And who's to say that linear will go completely even in a streaming world? Netflix 1,2,3 or Amazon 1,2,3 etc anyone?

Before we get to true smart, intelligent tv, the streaming services may have their own linear channels as a window into all their content. So, they could have a drama linear channel filled with various shows, but with the option to press red (or whatever) and access further episodes of those shows.

I think this is how all linear tv will go and said so somewhere at the beginning of this thread. The channels will act like shop windows into the various content of the streamers.

---------- Post added at 13:32 ---------- Previous post was at 13:26 ----------

I don't get that despite all the links posted here showing, especially in the States, the massive decline of pay tv bundles in favour of streaming, that some people still believe there will be pay tv packages in the future. There won't. It will be mostly streaming with perhaps a sprinkling of linear free channels.

And the other thing that hasn't been taken into account here, is the explosion of content available largely due to the arrival of the streamers. Of course it will be more expensive than current pay tv bundles, if everyone wants access to all content at all times. Most people will probably choose 2-3 streamers each month and mix and match as required. There won't be pay tv bundles in ten years time containing hundreds of linear channels.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I know. But surely it appeals to these people who want “skinny bundles”? Surely if there’s demand out there for lower priced sports, or people opting in and out without a contract over traditional Pay TV that’d be represented in the numbers?

What are new entrants offering that Now TV doesn’t?

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

The United States and Europe are completely different when it comes to cord cutting , I accept that in Europe the UK is more at risk owing to the fact it has some of the highest pay TV prices but it is still nowhere near to the cord cutting thats been seen in the US.

Have you ever watched TV in the US ? The amount of ads live TV has over there is another reason On Demand has accelerated far quicker.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

UKTV have pulled the following channels from TV player

- Dave
- W
- Gold
- Alibi
- Eden
- Good Food
- Really
- Yesterday
- Drama
- Home
- Dave ja vu
- Yesterday+1

https://support.tvplayer.com/hc/en-u...er-on-TVPlayer

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

They obviously think they can monetise their content better elsewhere.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Interesting article here on the evolution of streaming services and it includes the argument I have been making for some time that as many OTT services as possible should be capable of being accessed from one box.

It also addresses the difficulty some people have of finding the right content for them to watch.

http://www.csimagazine.com/csi/Strea...xt-chapter.php

EXTRACT

The explosive growth in TV choices has seemingly escalated consumer frustration. A Hub Entertainment Research survey of US consumers last July found consumers hungry for consolidation: looking for fewer platforms — even a single platform — that will deliver their full array of content in one place.

“The opportunity is for pay TV operators to take advantage of this ‘cord confusion’ by providing a single platform that will build loyalty among existing subscribers, bring in new consumers and even win back lapsed customers,” suggests Mark Evensen, CTO at Amino.

The research indicates the time is right: among respondents, more than twice as many would rather access all their TV and video content from a single provider (69%) than through a range of sources (31%) “making it crystal clear that consumers long for simplicity when it comes to choosing and managing their entertainment choices,” says Evensen.

Laurent Maillot, marketing manager for pay-TV operator Orange agrees: “Consumers are looking for some flexibility. They prefer to have premium content from different providers but only one stop shopping. They don’t want multiple accounts.”

He adds: “We are convinced that the next phase of pay-TV strategy globally is about aggregated SVOD.”

So if Virgin get on board with this quickly (and they got on board with Netflix and StarzPlay in a timely fashion - not the case with Amazon) then this could help them win customers from Sky. That assumes, of course, that Sky haven't got such a plan already!

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Good find, OB

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Yes, I have watched tv when in the States and I agree, its abysmal with the amount of ads, hence the cord cutting there and the switch to streaming.

Europe is different that the States, I agree too. We have public tv for one thing and far less ads in our commercial channels, but I still think streaming will come to dominate here. Look at the rise of Netflix here from zero to more customers than Sky now, see here:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...by-end-of-year

The issue with streaming is what OB just linked to, in that everyone wants all the content under one house through a single provider and that is something I'm not sure the traditional pay tv companies will be able to do, even if they do offer all the streaming services in the future. You can search for Netflix content on a V6, but it's hit and miss in what content it finds.

Netflix used to be the everything under one house provider, but with the likes of Disney and possibly others pulling content off Netflix, we will all need more than one service to get a decent amount of content to watch.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

This report shows that pay tv subscribers are now on the decline in the UK, and confirms that consolidation is likely in the next couple of years. This is completely in line with the forecast made at the beginning of this thread, based on the declining revenues that will ultimately spell the end of our traditional TV channels.

This process will take some time to play out, but the switch from pay tv channels to OTT sevices will come in the end. Due to declining advertising revenues, the free to view channels will not be immune from this process.

https://www.rapidtvnews.com/20190426...#axzz5mDMukmkA

EXTRACT


“We have seen the cord-cutting trend for several years in the US, where the pay-TV business is more mature,” said Michael Goodman, director, TV and media strategies at Strategy Analytics commenting on the European Pay TV IndexEuropean Pay TV Index. “Now it is starting to hit major markets in Europe, and this spells trouble for pay TV operators which cannot adapt to the needs of today’s viewers. The threat of falling subscriber revenues and stronger OTT rivals will also increase pressure from investors for further consolidation across the industry.”

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I'd like to know how they arrived at those figures. I didn't realise that Sky broke down their subscriber numbers between Sky's main product and Now TV, or that they reported separate Ireland figures for the purposes of their financial announcements.

Virgin Media are reporting TV subscriber increases in the year to 31st December 2018.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Its more biased bollocks that is why as both Sky and Virgin have posted TV subscriber increases in their last quarterly figures.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Here's something interesting - probably will get reported as 'off topic' - according to the BARB cable in the UK peaked in Q3 2013.

https://www.barb.co.uk/tv-landscape-...y-tv-platform/

4.17 million households.

However, our good friends at Virgin Media made disclosures to the stock exchange saying something different.

http://www.libertyglobal.com/pdf/fix...ease-FINAL.pdf

3.74 million subscribers.

For completeness, Virgin also state in a footnote that the 3.74 million includes those who don't pay a recurring monthly fee for a television service but have a STB alongside telephone/broadband service (equivalent of the old TV M package) and that 89% of the TV base do pay a recurring monthly fee for TV.

It's actually quite difficult to estimate these figures which is why I'm curious to know what the source was and where estimates were used on what basis they were arrived at.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Small World was independent of VM in 2013. A couple of other companies may be in that number too eg Wight Cable.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

The link between the growing popularity of the streaming services and the decline of pay tv channels, it seems, is starting to play out.

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2019...ancel-doubles/

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2019...els-turns-ott/

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2019...tion-goes-ott/


'According to new research from Parks Associates, the percentage of UK broadband households stating that they are likely to cancel their pay-TV service has increased to 24% in late 2018 from 12% in late 2015.

The analyst’s IoT in the UK – Entertainment Products and Services report says the figure is at its highest among households that watch online video services.'


'Sony’s Film1 in The Netherlands will drop its linear channels, and terminate the carriage of its services on the various Dutch distribution platforms, at the end of July 2019.

At the moment, the movie channels and on-demand services of Film1 are available on the various cable, DTH and IPTV platforms from Ziggo, KPN, Canal Digitaal, T-Mobile, and Caiway. There are four linear channels, Film1 Premiere, Film1 Drama, Film1 Action, and Film1 Family, with most of the movies also available on-demand. All platforms were informed by the broadcaster about the termination of the service.

Last year, Film1 started to market its offer as an OTT service for €7.99 a month. In April, the service became available over an app on Samsung smart TV sets. Film1 go is also available on mobile devices with its Film1 Go service. It is not clear if the OTT service will also be terminated.'



'Mediaset Premium will cease broadcasting on Italy’s digital terrestrial network on June 1, 2019, and will make the channels available as an OTT service on the Infinity platform.'

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Mediaset Premium will result in DAZN not being bundled at a discount, meaning subscribers will require two, more expensive, subscriptions where before they only needed one.

https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2019...only-offering/

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Also, if the media companies are all going down the DTC (direct to consumer) route aka streaming, something has to give.

Disney has done very well in recent weeks and its share price is up 20% on the announcement of its streaming service, but for their streamer to become as popular as Netflix, means that their linear channels must decline.

Why? Because people won't pay for the same stuff on the Disney Channel, ESPN channel etc and pay for their streamers too. Disney makes tons of money off its linear channels and selling rights onto others, this will all come to a stop over the next few years.

It's a whole new world and it'll be interesting to watch who the winners are and who the losers will be. It's brave of Disney to go full hog into streaming, but they were left with little choice with Netflix gobbling up the streaming market pretty much to itself.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

It will become a more convoluted and expensive new world for many.

Purely personal preference but Disney has very little that's going to be on its Disney streaming service that interests me so not sure I'd bother.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I never viewed the M tv package as masking their true tv figures before, but now you've posted that, I do.

Their situation as regards to their pay tv numbers, are worse than I had previously thought.

I missed that bit in their footnotes.

---------- Post added at 13:11 ---------- Previous post was at 13:10 ----------

All depends on price of services and how many services are taken at the same time.

If you want all content at all times, then yes it will get very expensive, but streaming gives you the option to choose what you want each month, rather than paying for bundles of channels that you never watch.

Doesn't interest me either, but those who want all Star Wars, all Marvel/superheroes stuff, all Pixar stuff, many of the Disney animated classics, will love it.

I'm more interested to see if Disney launch a international version of Hulu or bolt on Hulu content onto their global Disney+ service.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Yes but a pay TV sub now offers me content from most of the US broadcasters under this method I'll need a sub to each one to watch their shows which is a huge step backwards for me. I don't watch it all but enjoy shows from numerous different broadcasters.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Lets see if VM and Sky can be the aggregators that they claim to be and offer all the streamers on their service under their own interface. The fact that it's taken VM this long to offer Amazon Prime, doesn't seem to bode well in this regard. BUT...

Comparing tv channels with streamers is like comparing apples to oranges. They are not the same thing. Unless Sky run one of their "special" channels, you've never been able to access all Star Wars films before outside buying the DVDs.

I think people will mix and match streamers and take different ones each month, depending on what new shows/films are on the services.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

In my opinion its still a pipe dream with the exception of Disney I don't see many brave enough to go it alone outside the USA.

I still see the others licensing content to third parties.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I agree and have drawn the same conclusion. However, if the Hulu strand is added to it, I would be interested, depending on the content and how much of it there is that I would want to watch.

---------- Post added at 14:29 ---------- Previous post was at 14:19 ----------

I think there was a particular issue with Prime, because Liberty Global pulled it from the negotiations with Virgin Media.

They were quick with Netflix, Amazon and Hayu, though, so let's hope Amazon Prime was an exception.

I still say that in terms of drama and documentaries, there will be better value for money, and a much better choice than pay-tv offers. From time to time, where particular programmes people want to see are on SVOD services that they are not subscribed to, they will temporarily stop one subscription and start another.

I do think also that as material becomes about 5 years old on any streamer, many programmes will be made available elsewhere, either exclusively or on a non-exclusive basis.

---------- Post added at 14:30 ---------- Previous post was at 14:29 ----------

If they do, I would imagine that they will give the content rights to the SVOD services rather than the pay-tv channels.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

If Hollywood never sold its stuff outside America before, then I'd agree, but Hollywood's films and tv span the globe and that's before further media consolidation probably with more telecoms and tech companies.

---------- Post added at 14:55 ---------- Previous post was at 14:52 ----------

Certainly Comcast and AT&T have publicly said they will still licence content, especially older content to third parties, but lets see how long that model can continue for in the streaming world. Not long, me thinks.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Of the new entrants Comcast will also probably have the largest audience early on for its streaming service , they announced the service will be available ad supported for all it's 50 million + subscribers both here and in the US.

The ad supported service will also be available on other US pay TV platforms as well as a chargeable version for people without pay TV.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

For broadband yes, but AT&T and Verizon have over 150m+ subscribers a piece for their mobile services and unlike Verizon, AT&T has the Warner content to stream to those mobile customers. So, in theory, AT&T should hit the ground running with their streamer too.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Broadband ?

I'm referring to the 50 million + TV subscribers who'll have access included for free from the ad supported Streaming service as far as I'm aware the others have only mentioned pay OTT services.

I'm sure Comcast mentioned making $5-6 per subscriber from advertising which seems pretty good and gives them a huge audience from day one with the potential for an even higher audience if the as supported app becomes available to competing pay TV services.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

We'll, here is a reason NOT to throw out the old.
At last a free day to enjoy my retirement. Poor weather so a chance to binge watch on Netflix the early series of Line of Duty. Then around 10.30am the internet goes down . . . and VM TV too. Estimated fix time according to My Virgin Media 6.30pm.
All is not lost for my relaxing day as I have many programmes recorded on my V6 waiting to be watched. Currently enjoying the excellent ITV series Victoria.
I know it is extremely rare the internet plays up . . . but it has sure happened today!

---------- Post added at 12:44 ---------- Previous post was at 12:11 ----------

My lad has just come back from work looking forward to watching Game of Thrones on Now TV upstairs . . . but still no internet.
He is now having to watch recorded Ghosts on my TV.
Come back internet!

---------- Post added at 14:04 ---------- Previous post was at 12:44 ----------

2pm. It's working again!

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

More trouble ahead for the conventional TV channels. The lack of US content available to them as studios divert their attention to OTT services means that linear TV channels will have to invest in more content of their own or suffer a lack of 'must see' programming.

https://tbivision.com/2019/05/17/tbi...global-buyers/

Rampant consolidation across the US market and forthcoming launches of studio-backed SVODs such as Disney+ and the WarnerMedia streamer point to a potential “scarcity” of content as studios are expected to hold back key shows for their own services.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

The best streaming service for content in my opinion is YouTube and it's free if you don't mind short ads.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

There’s no quality on linear TV anyway according to your analysis. So nothing to lose from this in practice.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Things can often be like that in the hypothetical fantasy world of OB but real reality tends to come sooner rather then later l always find.;)

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Not true. What about Bodyguard, Victoria, Line of Duty and so on?

My complaint has not been that there are no quality programmes on scheduled TV, just that the number of such programmes are diminishing. This is particularly noticeable on the pay tv channels. Only BBC and ITV seem to be putting themselves out with their own quality dramas at present. Sky does the occasional one such as Strikeback, but there are very few, if any, compelling Sky productions on there these days.

A couple or so years ago, I was recording programmes from quite a range of channels - even minor ones such as 5USA. This no longer happens because I simply can't find stuff to watch any more..

---------- Post added at 08:34 ---------- Previous post was at 08:32 ----------

I live in the real world, Den, where advances are made and things change over time. You seem to be stuck in a time warp! :D

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

If I'm honest I always manage to find things to watch on my Sky Q box in fact much easier than entering Netflix which usually results in frustration.

There are literally hundreds of movies/shows my box either automatically picks up or suggests to me across terrestrial and pay channels.

That's before I even browse the extensive Sky Box Sets section.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

What about Game of Thrones - sky exclusive with a very large following over a number of years

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

GoT is an HBO production. Sky has no involvement in the production.

https://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

To be fair he didn't really say they did but his point is valid it has the exclusive UK subscription rights to the show currently.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

If you read my post you will see I never said they had, only that they have exclusive broadcasting rights - which is true

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I also read the post you were replying to and quoted, especially this bit.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Ones taste is in the eye of the beholder as we all have different tastes at the end of the day.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Yes, the channel we've been denied on Virgin Media! It is a Sky exclusive, but not a Sky production. It is courtesy of HBO, which may itself launch a subscription service of its own or through its parent company.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

And that has exactly what to do with what people like to watch on Sky.

Most people don't care who produces the content they either like it or not.

Sky buys lots of third party content in from the States and other countries.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Precisely.